Can you catch ringworm from a kitten and how do you know if the kitten has it in the first place?

Answer 1

Yes you can. Ringworm is contagious. My kitten had it when she was 8 weeks old and we had to quarentine her in a small room for 2 weeks. People can sometimes pick up a case of Ringworm from their pet, but just because a pet has Ringworm does not necessarily mean that the people that interact with it will develop the condition. However, A dog or cat can transmit Ringworm to a person without showing any symptoms at all. Fortunately, ringworm is fairly easy to diagnose and treat. Doctors usually can diagnose ringworm based on how it looks, but sometimes will scrape off a small sample of the flaky infected skin to test for fungus. If you do have ringworm, your doctor will recommend an antifungal medication. A topical ointment or cream usually takes care of skin infections, but ringworm of the scalp or nails requires oral antifungal medication. Your doctor will decide which treatment is best for you. As for the matter of finding out if they have it? Signs of ringworm are typically circular patches of broken hair in ring-like patterns These areas usually heal at their centers, growing darker than normal hair. Surrounding this darkened area is a band of inflamed, reddened skin within which the hair is also broken off short. The most common areas for ringworm to occur are the face, ear tips, tail and paws. If you suspect your kitten may have ringworm it is best to see your family veterinarian. There are many tests which can be performed to help confirm a diagnosis. The Wood's lamp exam is one of them, and is actually how they found it in my kitten. In a dark room, your veterinarian will shine a Wood's lamp over your cat's haircoat. Typically infected hair and skin will be fluorescent yellow-green in the dark.